The Way Back
by LiveHappy247
Summary: My version of post 5x22 and season 6 of Vampire Diaries. This story will dive into where Damon and Bonnie have gone as well as life for the rest of the gang on earth, trying to deal with the loss of loved ones and their home. (Delena & Bamon friendship)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Damon's POV

The purest of light swallows us whole. The ground beneath us disappears, yet we do not fall into an abyss of darkness. We stay suspended in the blinding light, hearing just the sound of complete and total silence. My hand is still intertwined with Bonnie's and I have no intention of letting go. Wherever we are headed, we are headed there together; as a team. My attempts at sound are a failure, so I close my eyes and simply wait for something to happen. And then my mind is overcome by the desire to simply sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Damon?" I hear Bonnie's voice. I must have gone unconscious after the light, but even more surprising is that I am waking up again. Since the other side disappeared, I assumed that we would disappear with it. It didn't even dawn on me that there was somewhere else for us to go.

"I'm here, just sleeping I guess," I say while slowly opening my eyes, "death kind of took the life out of me."

"Not funny, Damon," Bonnie says, but I can hear the amusement in her voice, "this is serious." I look around me and see the most beautiful luscious forest I've ever seen.

"Come on, Bonnie. We're dead. It's not like anybody can threaten us with our lives." She just rolls her eyes in her typical Bonnie-like fashion. "What is this place?"

"I don't know, but it definitely isn't earth. Look at the sky. It is just an umbrella of pinks, purples, and oranges and the trees are too vibrant of a green to be real," she turns in a circle, surveying her surroundings. "And if you look around you far enough, you'll notice that the forest stops and then there is nothing but white. It's like we're on a floating island in a sea of light."

"Now don't go all metaphorical on me," I wiggle my eyebrows at her, knowing that she needs some comic relief right now too, "let's go check out the drop off, shall we?" She just nods her head and starts off in any direction because they all lead to a vast expanse of nothingness.

"I gotta say, I didn't expect to wake up again."

"Me neither and although I was ready to accept it, I'm glad we woke up here."

"Wherever 'here' is."

We reach the edge and stare out into the blank sheet of nothingness.

"I wonder what happens if we were to jump?" Bonnie questions, leaning over the edge to stare into the void of white.

"I got an idea," I say before picking up a small pebble just to throw it a few feet in front of me.

"Woah!" Instead of falling into the cloudy abyss, it lands on the spot where ground should be and then something even stranger happens; the island begins to grow to encompass the area surrounding the rock.

"This place is self-creating," Bonnie says in awe before taking several steps forward and then past the pebble. And sure enough, the ground grows beneath her feet and trees begin to materialize as I follow her through the light. Beautiful wildflowers propagate as we continue on and the sky's striking colors paint the blank canvas above. Before I even have time to voice how thirsty I am, a small spring materializes beside us.

"Unbelievable," I utter in complete awe, "I was just thinking about how I could use a drink."

"Maybe the land is trying to accommodate us," Bonnie shrugs.

"If that were the case, there'd be a fully stocked bar." As expected, that remark earns another eye roll, but I can tell that Bonnie's mind is somewhere else.

"Damon?" The wheels are turning in Bonnie's head as she glances around her, "I saw my Grams before the other side collapsed. She said that she made arrangements for me to find peace."

"Go on."

"Maybe that is here. Maybe this is what she was talking about," Bonnie's eyes light up, "I mean, neither of us felt pain and this place doesn't look like hell. It's actually quite breathtaking."

"Then why am I here? I'm pretty sure your Grams hates me."

Her eyebrows furrow before another sense of clarity washes over her features, "I grabbed your hand, Damon, and if I remember correctly, we were both holding on pretty damn tight."

"Ok, let's just pretend that you are right. What now? Do we just keep on walking for eternity?"

"I don't know." Bonnie glances around her as if she is looking for a sign, but there are none.

"Well, if you are right, I'm sorry for crashing your peace."

"Come on, Damon. I'm glad I'm not alone," Bonnie smiles gently, "I mean, I probably wouldn't have thought about throwing a pebble and then I would have stayed thirsty."

This time it was my turn to roll my eyes, causing Bonnie to bust out into genuine laughter.

"Let's keep walking. There has to be something else here," I say, holding out my arm for her to take. So we walk, waiting for the next thing to happen.

**I'll continue writing if you continue reading, so please review & let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Elena's POV

_Dear diary,_

_Today will be different. It has to be. I will smile and it will be believable. My smile will say "I'm fine, thank you. Yes, I feel much better." I will no longer be the sad young woman who lost her boyfriend and best friend. I will start fresh; be someone new. It's the only way I'll make it through._

_But I still feel him. It is as if any minute I'll look over my shoulder to be greeted by that quirky half smirk that he does. I get butterflies in my stomach when I think of our best times together. When I sleep, I still remember his touch and it breaks me to know that I'll never actually feel it again._

"Elena?" Stefan knocks on the door. Since Mystic Falls is still entrapped in a giant "anti-magic dome," none of us can go home, but we have taken up residence at the lake house for the summer.

"Uh, yeah?" I ask, putting my diary on the nightstand beside my bed. He comes in, looking as polished as ever. Stefan just recently got back from traveling. I don't know where he went, but I do know that it had something to do with his brother and Bonnie, but I won't ask. Although my heart wants to believe that Damon is close, all logic says otherwise.

"Your brother is here."

"Oh my God! He's here?" I climb out of my bed and run into the foyer. We've texted and talked on the phone, but I haven't actually seen him since the funeral. Tears spring to my eyes when I spot his tall muscular figure accompanied by the gentlest smile I've ever seen.

"Elena." Jeremy opens his arms and I gladly run into them. I understand why he needed to get away, but I've missed him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," I answer a little too quickly, but even my best told lies, Jeremy could usually spot a mile away. But he doesn't say anything to debate me because all of us have talked about what happened at least a million times. He understands that it's time we all slap on a bandage and let our wounds heal without reliving the pain by talking about something where there really isn't anything to say.

"It's so good to see you." He holds me at arm's length, as if he is making sure I'm still physically intact. "Is Ric here too?"

As if on cue, Alaric walks into the room. "Hey, Jer."

"So, are you all just roomies now?" Jeremy smiles that genuine smile again and I find myself feeling somewhat happy.

"Mystic Falls is off limits for all of us and we didn't know where else to go." I shrug, knowing that there are a million places that we could have gone, but we all needed each other and this seemed like a good spot.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just giving you a hard time."

"So where have you been?" Stefan asks, handing Jeremy a beer.

"I went to Colorado for a little bit and rented a cabin in the mountains and then got an apartment for about a month in the heart of New York City."

"I bet that wasn't cheap," Alaric muses.

"Lucky for me, I've got some rich friends." We all laugh although it is true. After everything that happened, we decided not to liquidate any of the Salvatore's assets, including their house. Although Mystic Falls is off limits for us, I think that we all hope that someday the "anti-magic" barrier will be removed. Everything in the Salvatore boarding house was left as it was. The only things that I had Matt retrieve for me were a few of his shirts, several bottles of bourbon, and his cologne. Damon wasn't avaricious or materialistic, but he did have his favorite things and as silly as it sounds, those things make me feel closer to him.

"I have to admit that my trip is not purely recreational. I have information that I think you should know." He pauses, looking particularly at me.

"Well, what is it?" My voice comes off as irritable and inpatient, but I'm anxious as to what his news regards.

"It's about Damon and Bonnie."

My breath automatically hitches in my throat and I can't seem to shake the overwhelming sensation that runs over me.

"What?!" Caroline comes running down the stairs with curlers still in her hair.

"It might be nothing, but…" Jeremy trails off and we stare at him with blank, waiting eyes. "I was in a bar in New York and I overheard some ladies talking. At first I thought it was just drunk talk, but then I was certain I heard them talking about Bonnie and Damon."

"What?" I run my fingers through my hair, simply overwhelmed. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I. I turned to ask them about it and they literally got up and walked out of the bar. When I followed, they were gone. It was as if they had vanished into thin air."

"Ghosts, maybe?" Alaric chimes in.

"No, the other side is completely gone and so are all of the ghosts. I was thinking witches, but why would witches be talking about Damon and Bonnie. It's not like we told anyone else that they died."

"I can't," I raise my hands in defeat before walking out the door. Every moment spent on searching for hope where there is none brings fresh waves of grief.

I stand at the edge of the dock and close my eyes. It is times like these that I can remember him best, almost feel him.

"Damon?" I whisper, knowing from experience that there won't be an answer, "where are you, Damon?" I let the tears sting my eyes and run down my cheeks. If only they could wash away the pain, but instead they remind me of a promise and heart broken.

_Dear Diary,_

_He promised that he'd come back to me and he broke that promise when he died. He vowed to come back and then didn't. I will never be able to forgive him for leaving me, but I will never be able to repay him for loving me the way he did. _

_I can't bring myself to move on. Maybe I can't move on because I don't think Damon has moved on._

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed & keep them coming! Your feedback keeps me writing. Stay tuned, next chapter will be back to Damon & Bonnie's adventures in wherever they're at.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Damon's POV

"Is it an animal?" I ask after the thousandth game of 20 questions.

Bonnie doesn't answer, but out of the corner of my eye, I see her face glisten with fresh tears and it dawns on me that neither of us has cried, until now. She has always been so strong that it breaks my heart to see her so broken. I stop walking and gently place a hand on her back. I just recently got the hang of this 'comforting' thing.

"Do you think they're ok?" she whispers.

"I think they're grieving and that sucks, big time." I shrug, not wanting to remind her of all the people that Elena and Jeremy have lost. "But Stefan and Alaric are back in the land of the living along with Tyler and Caroline."

"But she loved you so much," Bonnie's voice is gentle and it feels strange to hear somebody else telling me about my relationship with Elena, especially when it is good things. For so long, all I would hear is how we were destined to fail and doomed from the start. This is a nice change though. "She was so angry at me for bringing her back to life. She said she couldn't live without you."

My heart aches for the woman I left behind. "She's strong and she has people that love her."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have you and you loved her best of all, Damon." I see the tears well up in her eyes again, "and Jeremy. He's lost every woman he has ever loved. Hell, he's had to watch me die more than once. I can't find peace knowing that people will be hurting because of our deaths and the mess we left behind."

"You never know," I shoot her a small sad smile, "maybe we'll find some ruby slippers somewhere in this Oz and be able to poof ourselves back home." I gently wipe the tears from her face and take her hand so we can keep walking. "This place can't go on forever; that wouldn't be peace and if your theory about Sheila finding you peace is correct, then our journey here isn't over. Something else is bound to happen."

"Ok," Bonnie sniffs, "I guess you're right."

"What was that?" I teasingly put a hand up to my ear, "I couldn't quite hear you. Did you just say that I was right?"

That makes her laugh and momentarily forget about the pain.

"So, let's brainstorm. Is there anything in those magic/spell books of yours that mention land growing out of thin air?"

"That couldn't happen without the power of witches and I'm not a witch anymore. I'm the anchor."

I can barely stifle a laugh, "not anymore, the other side was completely obliterated, remember?"

Instead of retaliation to my snarky comment, Bonnie suddenly looks up and any bewilderment she had is demolished by a massive epiphany with the force of a freight train.

"Oh my God, Damon," Bonnie puts a hand up to her mouth in shock, "I can't believe I hadn't thought of it sooner."

"Spit it out."

"Witches are servants of nature; that's where they derive their power. Grams is a servant of nature. She said she did something that would help me find peace, but I know that the only place I'll find peace is on earth."

"So you think there is a way out of here and that Sheila made a deal with nature in order for you to find a way back to life?"

"That is exactly what I'm saying, but I have no idea what she could give up that would bring me back to life."

"Ok, so what are we looking for then?"

Bonnie bites her lip and shrugs, "I have no idea."

My eyes narrow as I stare at her, unsure of what to say to that, but then I notice movement in the distance. It's just a tiny speck at first, but then I notice it is in the shape of a person.

"Friend or foe?" I ask Bonnie, motioning to the figure coming toward us.

"Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore." The voice coming from the figure is the most melodious and captivating sound I've ever heard. The being walking towards us carries an aura of light around her that clouds our vision from seeing its true form.

"Who do we owe the pleasure of speaking?" Bonnie's voice is both professional and refined. In that instant, the light fades away and we are left gazing upon a woman. She has wavy blonde hair and satiny white skin with eyes that are as vibrant of a green as the trees. Her dress is a forest green while the most beautiful arrangements of flowers and greenery adorn her body and are embellished in her dress and hair. She is breathtaking and even I know who she is by just a glance.

"You don't know?" she raises her eyebrows while keeping her firm, yet relaxed pose.

"I think we want to hear you say it," Bonnie says, her voice trailing off, most likely because of the intimidation that this woman presses upon us.

"Gaia. Pachamama. Dewi Sri. Terra Mater. I've been called many things." The woman pauses and takes a deep breath, "but you probably know me by my more common name…"

Bonnie's voice is low, but the awe is evident as she interrupts with the answer. "You're Mother Nature."

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	4. Chapter 4

Elena's POV

"We need to find a witch." Everybody turns to look at me as I take a seat at the table with my laptop.

"They don't exactly list themselves on Craigslist, Elena," Jeremy says, taking a sip of his drink.

"I know that, but if we can find a settlement somewhere around New York City, then maybe we can find those two witches that you met in the bar."

"First of all, I didn't meet them, I overheard their conversation. And second of all, they fled when I asked them about Damon and Bonnie."

"Then we'll find another witch because surely there are others that know something."

"Elena, are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Jer," I stare him straight in the eye; "you brought us a lead after two months of knowing nothing. You can't possibly think that I'll just let this go, do you?"

"I just don't think you should get your hopes up."

"My boyfriend and best friend died. I've lost more people than I can count on one hand," I grimace at the thought, "I think it is safe to say that my hopes are safely on the ground."

An exasperated sigh inadvertently escapes and Jeremy nods apologetically. I don't intend to get so upset, but I can't help it and sometimes you hurt the people you love because they're the ones that will care the most.

Without further ado, we start our own personal witch hunt. Not even thirty minutes later, Caroline comes prancing in the room with a smug grin plastered on her face.

"So, I made a phone call," she begins, "and I've got us a witch or at least I know where to find one; actually several live there. I think they're all related or something."

"Caroline, who did you call?" We are all bewildered, but Stefan is the one to speak up.

She bites her lip nervously, "a friend."

I release the tension I'd been unintentionally holding in my shoulders as I roll my eyes, knowing exactly who she called; her dark knight. "You called Klaus."

"Yes and it worked!" Caroline's eyes are alight with excitement, "He said there is a bar in Norfolk that is teeming with witches."

"What is it with witches and bars?" I say to myself as I shut my laptop.

"What are their names? How many? We can't just go prancing in there like we own the place, Caroline." Alaric finally speaks up, being the voice of reason.

"She'll fill us in on the way there. Right now we need to pack." I'm already halfway up the stairs before anyone can respond.

"Elena? Wait." Stefan follows me to my room.

"Yeah?" I keep my voice casual while I keep busy filling my suitcase with clothing and toiletries.

"What Jeremy said was right? This might not be anything." The fire inside me blazes as I throw a blouse forcefully into my suitcase.

"But it also might be something."

He raises his hands in surrender, but also in admittance. "Hey, I want to be able to bring Damon and Bonnie back as much as anyone, but I also know there is usually a price for bringing people back from the dead."

"Then we'll deal with the consequences," I plead. "This is Damon and Bonnie we're talking about."

Stefan approaches me, taking slow calculated steps. He gently tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and nods just slightly and says the one thing I need to hear. "Ok." And that's it. We are going to Norfolk.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I small smile creeps onto my face as I stare at the newly refurbished Camaro. Nothing except the frame of the car was salvageable, but I had to do it anyways. For some reason, I needed to get that car refurbished for myself. To move on? To remember? I don't really know except that I every time I drive it, the pain subsides a little bit.

The car being small was my excuse for talking Jeremy into staying home, but the real reason is that I don't want Jeremy to get hurt. Alaric made it easier by offering to stay home too. We don't know much about these witches except that there are several of them and Klaus knows them, which could mean a lot of things.

The door to the front of the lake house opens behind me. It is time to go delve back into the world of magic and mystery. For months now, things have been still and passive as we mourn those we lost and tend to our wounds.

"Do you want me to drive?" Stefan asks, putting the rest of the luggage in the trunk.

"Nope." I climb into the front seat, feeling the familiar edge of the steering wheel while the scent of new leather still dwells the air. Caroline climbs into the back of the car while Stefan takes the passenger seat. She fills us in on what Klaus told her about the witches.

The family's name is Wade; the grandmother, Shania, has two kids named Marissa and Jacob. Marissa has several children, but their powers aren't as developed as their mom or grandma. The bar has been in the family for decades and their ancestors haven't moved anywhere for even longer. Whether they can or will help us is based entirely upon what they know and how much they trust us.

"What do we even say to them? They'll probably be able to figure out that we are vampires pretty quick and witches don't exactly like our kind. What if they don't want to help? Or worse, they kill us on the spot."

But my eyes are focused on the road ahead and then I remind myself of something I once told someone very close to me.

"We'll survive. We always survive."

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	5. Chapter 5

Damon's POV

"My Grams used to tell me stories about you, but that's all they were; just stories." I eye Mother Nature suspiciously, which she quickly picks up on.

"You don't trust me?"

"Would you trust you?" I give her a weary smile, still keeping my distance and guard up.

"Walk with me," she motions for us to follow with her perfectly manicured hand. I glance at Bonnie who is looking at me with the same awestruck and terrified expression that I am sure is also staring back at her. I offer a smile of reassurance, but I sure as hell don't believe it. "Or not, but where else will you go." Bonnie and I simultaneously shrug, deciding that we don't really have another reasonable option.

"The Other Side was created by Qetsiyah, so when Silas died, he would be forced to spend eternity with her instead of finding peace with his true love, Amara. Now the Other Side is gone and the souls that resided there have moved farther on in their afterlife."

"You mean to find peace?" Bonnie prods.

"Technically, yes, but peace is the destination. The afterlife is a journey."

"So we are in the afterlife?" I glance around me, expecting more hellfire.

"The afterlife is made up of millions of layers of purgatory. Most souls bypass the first hundred thousand and make just a couple stops before they find peace. It's quick and painless, just part of the purification process." She pauses and I sense a 'but' coming. "You two are different so to speak."

"How so?"

"You both have two of the brightest souls I've ever seen. With Sheila Bennett's warning that you would be headed this way, I was able to catch you."

"Are you sure I wasn't just hidden in Bonnie's own glorious light?" I joke, trying to lighten up the mood. Bonnie shoots me a warning look, but Mother Nature seems amused.

"No, Damon Salvatore. You don't give yourself nearly enough credit. Granted, I didn't know you'd be joining Bonnie, but you two were holding onto each other so tight that it was easy to grab you both."

"Why would you stop us on our way to peace though?" Bonnie looks alarmed and hurt and I can't say that I blame her. Neither of us was ready to die, but the thought of a prolonged journey through purgatory seems like hell.

"Because you two were never going to be able to find peace. You were not ready to die and the Other Side acted as a kind of catalyst to help souls let go, unfortunately you didn't have that luxury. And with the things you've experienced on earth and the people you've left behind, there is no way you're going to make it to peace. You're too attached through promises you'd made or lies you'd told for the sake of your loved ones."

My mind flashes back to that promise; I will make it back to you, I promise.

"There it is." Mother Nature slightly nods her head in my direction.

"Where is what?" I ask, the irritation creeping back into my voice.

"The guilt. The sorrow. The pain. But mostly the love." I automatically start to squirm under her penetrating gaze. Her look strips me of my defenses and makes me feel exposed. Nothing gets past this realm unless Mother Nature intends it to and nothing gets caught here unless she wants it to as well.

Bonnie's brow furrows in frustration as she tries to comprehend the information we've just received and I can't help but notice tears glisten in her eyes.

"So we're hopeless. We're just going to be forever on this path with no end in sight?"

"What kind of mother would I be if I didn't look out for my children?" The compassion in Mother Nature's eyes is overwhelming and I sense that she really does want to help us. "I've never done this before because I have never come across souls that are this stubborn. And for you to be stuck in purgatory forever would be a torture that neither of you deserve."

"What are you saying?"

"It's actually quite simple," she gently places a hand on Bonnie's cheek; an extremely maternal gesture. "I'm going to put you back on earth."

My jaw drops to the ground as I wait for the catch.

"Why?" I ask, "Surely there is some ulterior motive or another reason. Nobody would do something so drastic out of the goodness of their heart."

"Is it so hard for you to believe that I would do this because I simply love my children," her eyes are unrelenting and beautiful.

"What about the balance?" Bonnie asks, changing the subject.

"I'll have to wipe out a forest in a wildfire or cause a natural disaster to balance it, but you two are overestimating your impact on nature and underestimating my power."

I laugh halfheartedly and run my hands through my hair, still trying to grasp the magnitude of what she is saying. There has to be some other reason. There is always another reason.

"He's got family issues, doesn't he?" Mother Nature says to Bonnie jokingly, most likely on my behalf.

"Look, if I didn't stop you here, then you'd be wandering aimlessly in one of the other early dimensions of purgatory. And I'm the only one that is close enough to earth and powerful enough to revive you."

"Look, I want to believe that you're legitimate, but this can't be real." Bonnie doesn't saying anything, but I notice a slight nod of her head; we're on the same page. This is too good to be true.

"Come here," she whispers to me and out of curiosity or resignation, I obey.

"Stand very still," she says even quieter and then she holds my head in her long delicate hands. And my mind is taken somewhere else. It is a cemetery and I don't need to read the name on the tombstones to know what they say because I am too preoccupied with the woman standing next to them. Her beautiful brunette hair cascades down her back, but tears stain her perfectly sculpted cheeks.

"Elena?" I hear my voice say and she flinches slightly, as if a cool breeze blew past her. "Elena!" I yell louder, but she doesn't hear me. She just lays a bouquet of flowers on both of the tombstones before turning to walk away. And then I'm back in the forest with Mother Nature and Bonnie.

"That was seven weeks after your deaths."

"How long have we been here?" I nearly shout.

"For almost ten weeks," Mother Nature's comforting tone turns stiff and factual, "and it doesn't get much better for her either. She visits several times a week to change out your flowers and curses your name in her sleep."

Mother Nature turns to Bonnie, "Jeremy left to travel on his own. He spends most of his time in various bars and hanging around with various women. Do I need to go on?"

"No." I speak up for the both of us. "Obviously we both want to go back, but we just can't believe it."

"There is one thing you should know though," Mother Nature starts and I immediately brace myself for the consequence, "you'll be human when you rotate back."

"I'll be human." Pure ecstasy washes over Bonnie's features because Jeremy is human, but Elena isn't.

"You can turn again if that is what you truly want." It dawns on me that the only thing I truly want is to fulfill a promise that I made to a woman back home.

"Yes. We'll do it, just tell us what you need us to do."

"Nothing. The earth isn't ready to take your energy back yet, so you'll need to hang out here. When it is time, you just hang on and ride the storm back." The words flow out of her so casually, you'd think she did this every day. Bonnie and I shake our heads nervously.

"Thank you," Bonnie says as Mother Nature hugs her, saying something in her ear that I can't quite make out.

"Thank you," I say after Mother Nature turns to me. I reach my hand out to shake hers, but she pulls me in for a hug instead. I don't know how to respond, so I just stand there, letting this strange woman embrace me. It is unfamiliar, yet maternal and comforting, but of course I'd never admit that. "Let people in, Damon. Move on from your mistakes and share in the celebration of life with those around you. Stop pushing people away. You're being given a second chance. It's time you forgive yourself."

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	6. Chapter 6

Elena's POV

The bar is on the basement floor in the center of Norfolk. If not for the drunk couple stumbling up the entrance, we would have drove straight past it. Nobody says anything as we take the gum ridden sidewalk and stone steps down to the front door. The scent of smoke and liquor wafts out as we enter and the harsh sound of pool balls smacking each other pierces the air.

I can't stop the memory of Damon and me drinking ourselves silly in that little bar in Georgia from coming to mind. In a way, our journey together started there. I got to know the Damon that wasn't hell bent on causing trouble and he got to know the Elena that knew how to let her hair down and have a little fun.

"What can I get for you?" the woman behind the bar says as each of us occupies a stool.

"We are looking for the Wade family." Stefan wastes no time getting to the point.

"Why?" By the woman's defensive stance and now wide eyes along with her slightly greying hair, I can only assume that this is Marissa.

"Excuse me, where are my manners," Stefan says, "my name is Stefan." He then extends his hand out, which she tentatively takes before immediately jerking her hand back. This is definitely Marissa and definitely a witch.

"What are you doing here?" her gaze turns cold and her voice colder.

"We're not here to cause any trouble. We just need your help."

"Find somebody else. We don't do favors for your kind." I drop my head, knowing that we have no leverage here. As strong as three vampires are, we don't know what these witches are capable of.

"What about your own kind?" I hear my voice. It is firm and authoritative, but kind. "Bonnie Bennett? Sheila Bennett? The Bennett witches?"

Curiosity floods her features, but I can't tell whether she actually knows something or simply recognizes their name. "What about them?"

"Bonnie was a witch, but became the anchor to the Other Side. A couple months ago, the Other Side was destroyed along with Bonnie and a friend of ours."

Marissa nods her head slightly as if processing the information, but her reaction is dull. She already knew about what happened. Her guard is still up. She doesn't trust us yet, but I can't say that I blame her.

"My brother overheard some witches in New York talking about the people we lost. We don't know how that could have happened because none of us told anyone that they died."

"Damon Salvatore." Although her voice is still cautious, her words shake me to the core. I nod once I get my bearings back.

"How did you know that?" Caroline chimes in for the first time this entire meeting.

"I think you'd better talk to my mother," Marissa says, waving for us to follow her. "If any of you try anything, you'll regret it. Trust me." We all just nod, understanding that we are the inferiors here. After two flights of stairs, we find ourselves in a small apartment. The floorboards creek with every step and there is water damage in the hallway. Although most of the surfaces are covered in trinkets and books, everything seems to have a place and be in its place.

"You all can have a seat." Marissa motions to the small living room across from the kitchen. Caroline and I take a seat on the couch with at least five patchwork quilts draped over the back. Stefan meanders over to the window and gazes out towards the street. Several minutes later, Marissa comes back into the room with Sheila Wade not far behind.

Sheila is a small woman with curly grey hair and gentle blue eyes, a shade of blue that I find all too familiar.

Marissa helps her mom to the chair adjacent to us and kindly asks if any of us would like anything to drink. We all politely decline, waiting for Sheila to speak, sensing that this woman usually gets the first and last word.

"Marissa," Sheila begins with a tone louder than I'd expected, "filled me in on what she knows, but I obviously have a few more questions."

"We'll tell you anything you want to know." Stefan takes a seat in the chair opposite of Sheila.

"How did you find us?" I cringe slightly, hoping that this question wouldn't come up. Stefan and I simultaneously look at Caroline.

"An acquaintance of ours knows you." I stifle a laugh at the loose title she used to describe Klaus. Sheila raises an eyebrow questioningly. She won't tell us anything else without a name. Two little words could grant us the help we need or send us away.

"Niklaus Mikaelson." Caroline says hesitantly. I allow myself to exhale after holding my breath when I see the unpretentious smile cross Sheila's face and I can't help but wonder how Klaus made a friend with this kind woman, but I know it isn't my place to ask.

"And what do you think you're going to be able to accomplish through us?" With that question, I realize that none of us have really given this much thought. We all received a lead from Jeremy and pursued it without second thought. Nobody had even considered that maybe the lead was nothing more than the spread of gossip.

"More information maybe? Closure? I don't really know, except that there has to be more to their story than simply being eradicated along with the Other Side." Stefan puts what we are all thinking into an answer that makes sense. Sheila and Marissa just look at each other and then back at us.

"We don't know where Bonnie or Damon are," Sheila starts, "but we sense their souls every time we cast a spell. Witches use nature, the solar system, and sometimes other souls for energy."

"Their souls are being used as fuel for magic?" Caroline says with a disgusted look on her face.

"Not quite. Witches derive energy from nature in the form of a comet, the sun, the moon, and the elements. But nature has a conscience that is beyond this world. The natural energy that exists in this solar system is just the tip of the iceberg compared to the total energy that nature possesses. Witches can sometimes tap into that reserve of energy if nature allows and that is where I think Damon and Bonnie are."

The idea that Damon and Bonnie are actually still out there, gives me hope. I just have to be careful not to blindly accept every word she says as truth. After all, these are still just speculations.

"Is there a way to bring them back?" Caroline asks.

"I wouldn't hold my breath." There it is; the cold hard truth. We will probably never know where Damon and Bonnie are, nor will we ever get them back.

Am I ready to accept this? Can I move on? Will I move on? I don't know. I just don't know.

**Hey, thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and follows! **


	7. Chapter 7

Damon's POV

Bonnie and I roam the forest that has already been built for us and we tread new unexplored areas. When we get bored of seeing trees, the land shifts into rolling hills spotted with wildflowers. And when the hills get to be too boring, we find ourselves wandering along a sandy beach with calm waves lapping at our ankles. We mutually agree that this seems like a desirable spot to rest.

The sand is a pure white and the water is a translucent turquoise. The sun, or what I assume is the sun, starts to set on the horizon, leaving the sky a brilliant color of orange.

"It really is beautiful here," Bonnie says, sitting next to me on the beach. We've both taken off our shoes to sink our feet in the sand.

"I've been in worse places." I hear Bonnie's gentle laugh and feel her big brown eyes rest on me. "I've also had worse company."

"Was that a compliment that I just heard?" Her tone is light and playful, but I know that she took it to heart. Our relationship did not start out in a good place, but now I think we can both agree that this journey has without a doubt bridged that gap and made us friends.

"Yeah. It was." I say in a more serious tone, turning to face her. She smiles a big bright beautiful smile and nods in appreciation.

"What did _she _say to you?" Bonnie inquires, "Before she disappeared."

"What did she say to _you_?" I smirk and wiggle my eyebrows at her, earning another eye roll.

"Come on, Damon. I'm being serious."

I stare back at her and then out towards the sea. "Something about relationships and forgiveness, yada yada," I shrug, trying to play it off as inconsequential, "typical, cliché, coming-of-age novel type stuff."

"You didn't say a single word for the next hour or so. I've spent enough time with you by now to know that you memorized every single word she said." I don't respond. "I did."

I can tell that Bonnie is contemplating whether she should tell me, eventually coming to the decision that I should know. "You've been so brave, Bonnie Bennett. But share the burden because carrying it alone will ruin you. A mother couldn't have a better daughter."

"That's some spot on advice."

"I know," Bonnie laughs, "which is why I'm dying to know what she told you."

"Do you really want to know?" Bonnie shakes her head eagerly. "She told me to let people in and to move on from my mistakes; to share in the celebration of life and to forgive myself."

"Damn."

"That's all you have to say; damn?" I laugh and then Bonnie laughs with me.

"How are we going to explain all of this when we get back?"

"The part about being in purgatory and meeting Mother Nature or the part about you and I being friends."

"Both! I mean, they are going to be in enough shock with us being resurrected from the dead."

"And us being human again." My stomach churns at the thought of being human again and Bonnie senses it because she grabs my hand.

"You'll be able to turn back. Any one of them will do it for you."

"I know that. It's just that humanity is something that is cherished among our friends, so for me to throw it away so easily seems…unfair. Inconsiderate."

"You're not throwing it away, Damon. You're making a choice to live out the rest of your life alongside people you love."

I can't help but chuckle at her spin on the situation. "Well, since you put it that way…" I roll my eyes as sarcasm drips from my words.

"I'm serious!" A telltale smirk crosses her face a few seconds later, "since when have you cared about being inconsiderate?"

"No way. We are not discussing my newfound morality."

"I just need to say one thing," Bonnie raises her hands in defeat. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you've made invaluable relationships in Mystic Falls that mean more to you than anything. That's why you were so eager to drive your car into the grill. Not just with Elena, but with Stefan and Alaric and me. I even think that Caroline has a soft spot for you somewhere in that heart of hers."

I shrug nonchalantly, but Bonnie and I both know I am carefully pondering her words.

"Don't get me wrong, you've done some pretty shitty stuff in the past, but the things you've done to protect the people you love has made up for your faults."

Bonnie falls asleep on the sand soon after that, leaving me to ponder my existence and the philosophy of life on my own.

The hours tick by and just when I think I might be able to get some shut eye, everything starts to shake. Bonnie awakens almost immediately, as if she were waiting for this moment.

"I think this is our cue," I yell over the noise from the quake.

"I wish I knew who was sending us back to earth. I'd really like to thank them." This remark catches me off guard and I immediately open my mouth to tell her who, but realize in that instant that I don't know the answer.

"Ready?" Bonnie asks as we simultaneously grab each other's hand and stare out into the increasingly distressed ocean before us.

"Yeah. I've been feeling a little homesick." Then there is a familiar flash of light and then nothing before. . .

**I apologize for the late posting on this chapter, I've been out of town. ****Thanks for reading & reviewing!**


	8. Chapter 8

Elena's POV

What are you supposed to do when every thread of hope is gone? The optimists would say that there is always a way. The realists would tell you to move on. I'm not quite sure what the pessimists would do, but if it has anything to do with day drinking in a bar out in the middle of nowhere, then I guess I'm a pessimist.

"Can I get you another, honey?" Crystal the bartender croons in her very southern accent. I just nod my head.

"_This morning at 3:23, a tornado touched down in Gainesville, Florida," _the news reporter says on the television, _"leaving a wake of devastation and a city left to pick up the pieces. Gainesville experienced one of the nation's most deadly tornados in 1936 with over 200 deaths. The casualties have just reached 100, but the response teams are still hopeful that survivors are out there. They say that it is just a matter of searching the debris to save all that they can."_

"That is so sad, ain't it?" Crystal says while wiping down the bar.

"Huh?" I jerk my head up, realizing that she is talking to me.

"That tornado that hit Gainesville? It's sad."

"Yes. It is sad." I really don't know what else to say.

"I can't imagine what that town is going through," Crystal shakes her head in disbelief, "I can't imagine what it would be like to lose my home like that."

I look up at her and then to the TV where cameras scan over a city reduced to piles of wood and cement. It must be a burial ground out there and my home is still standing, yet all I can do is drink myself into oblivion while there are mere humans that know how to pick themselves right back up to immediately start the healing process.

Not a second later do I hop off my barstool and walk out the door. Damon and Bonnie might be gone, but Mystic Falls isn't. I climb into the car and text Stefan to briefly tell him that I'll be back in 45 minutes. My phone buzzes several times in the passenger seat, but I ignore it. Whatever anybody wants to say to me can wait until I see them in person.

I pull up to the Lake House and immediately see Caroline and Stefan waiting on the steps of the front porch. Something is up. Quickly parking the car, I climb out and hurry over to the steps.

"You guys have got me really worried," I say when they both rise to their feet.

"You haven't seen the news lately have you?" Stefan asks, prompting us all inside.

"I heard about the tornado, so yes, I have seen the news lately."

"I think you need to watch this." I glance at the television and realize that they've got it paused and by the time on the screen, it has been paused for a while.

"What is this about?" My voice is barely a whisper, but neither of them answer. They just press play on the remote.

"_In the direct path of the tornado, a man and woman were found lying hand in hand in the middle of the debris. Although the couple suffered some internal damage and are in critical condition, neither had any external injuries. This miraculous event has led to wild theories on how these two survived and piqued the interest of people across the world. They are the number one trending topic on Twitter and already have film producers interested in their story. Either these two are more than human or were in the saving hands of Mother Nature because scientists have deemed their circumstance practically impossible."_

"So what? They're vampires or something." I blurt out, irritated at them for being so ambiguous.

"Just watch," Stefan urges. The news reporter talks a little bit more about the impossibility of their circumstance, but then says something that stops my heart.

"_The woman's identification is still unknown, but just recently, the man has been identified as Damon Salvatore of Mystic Falls, Virginia. That is all the information we are allowed to divulge on the matter, but please stay tuned for more information on survivors and how you can contribute to the relief efforts of this tragedy."_

My breath hitches in my throat as I grab at my neck and heart. The tears immediately sting my eyes as I fall to the floor. We've faced some crazy things over the past several years, but never this amazing.

"Oh my God. Oh my God." Those are the only words that I can seem to manage. "This is impossible."

"That's what I was saying until the fiftieth time I watched this segment." Stefan's voice is surprisingly calm considering the new information.

"How do we know it is them?" The doubt inevitably creeps into my mind. "Surely there are other Damon Salvatore's in the world."

"We also considered that, but pictures of the two have been leaked online," Caroline said with a smile on her face, "it's them. It's both of them."

Stefan holds out a hand to me. "I think it is time we bring them home." A smile finds its way onto my face as I nods my head fiercely. Our physical home may be under a massive 'anti-magic' bubble, but Damon and Bonnie's home will always be with us and my home will always be with him.

**Thanks for reading & I love feedback, so please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

Damon's POV

Death; it usually hurts pretty bad and then there is either a whole lot of darkness or a whole lot of light. Coming back to life is equally painful and this time is no exception.

I don't know where I am. I don't know what I am. I don't know what to do. The only thing that I am certain of is the faint sound of my heart beating softly inside my chest. _Th-thump th-thump th-thump. _

Bonnie. Where is Bonnie? I remember that we were holding hands and that we were going somewhere. Where were we going? This pounding in my head is almost as consistent as the irritable pounding in my rib cage. _Th-thump th-thump th-thump._

Voices. There are voices and they reek of doctor. _ "Damon Salvatore, early to mid-twenties, Caucasian male with internal bleeding in several organs in the lower torso, concussion to the frontal lobe." "His companion, Jane Doe has similar injuries, but is conscious as of twenty minutes ago." "And we still don't have an identity?" "No."_

Either they stop talking or I pass out because then I hear nothing. Thoughts tumble through my mind like waves crashing on a rocky shore. And they are relentless. The questions are endless, but the possibilities are even more so.

The Jane Doe they were talking about must be Bonnie. She is already conscious, but I am stuck in this limbo of the mind until—

That voice. I know that voice. That voice once has broken my heart, but it has also so frequently mended it. _"Oh my God. Oh my God. This isn't real. This can't be real." _I hear footsteps slowly approaching me and then feel a slender hand in mine, but instead of opening my eyes to see her beautiful face and kiss that perfect mouth, violent coughs rack my body.

"Damon?" she pulls me to a sitting position and slaps my back as blood drenched coughs continue to shake through me. I spit out blood into my hands. Elena wastes no time biting her wrist and shoving it into my mouth. It tastes bitter and borderline repulsive, but the coughing stops. Wiping both my blood and her blood from my face with the back of my hand, I lift my gaze to meet hers. Neither of us moves. Neither of us talks. Maybe it is nerves or disbelief, but when the spell ends, it is toxic.

I capture her lips with mine as our arms snake around each other's bodies. Moving our mouths together in perfect rhythm we fall back onto the bed behind me. Legs intertwined, we struggle to get closer after months of being light years apart. It isn't until a nurse walks in that we pull apart, but Elena stays on the bed beside me; our hands intertwined.

"It's good to see that you are awake and," the woman eyes us both suspiciously, "feeling better."

"Very much so, thank you." I feel Elena shudder as I speak for the first time since waking up. "I know you guys have all of your doctor crap to do, but could we have a moment."

The nurse blinks several times at my boldness, but I could care less. "Come get me when you're finished." She nods curtly and heads out.

Elena rests her head on my chest as tears slide down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, baby," I say soothingly while wiping the tears away with the pad of my thumb, "I promised I'd make it back to you, didn't I?" That causes her to cry even harder, so I instinctively pull her in closer. "I was just a little late, that's all."

"How are you here?" Her voice sounds winded and overly emotional and exhausted.

"I'll have to get back to you on that one." She allows herself a light laugh through the tears.

"I have so many questions."

"We will answer what we can," I start, but stop abruptly when I realize that I am missing the other half of my '_we_.' "Bonnie. Where is she?"

"She's here and doing well. Stefan gave her some blood to speed up the healing process," Elena answers. "I'm going to go grab the nurse so we can go ahead and get you discharged." She stands there for a moment and plants another firm kiss on my swollen lips before turning to go find the nurse. Completely exhausted, I lean my head back and close my eyes and feel the uncomfortable pull of medical cords connected to various parts of my body. Without any hesitation, I yank them off.

"It's about time you woke up," Bonnie says, leaning up against the doorframe to my room. I find myself beaming back at her beautiful smiling face.

"Get over here," I motion for her to come in closer. "I would woosh my way over to you, but I've been demoted to mere mortal status."

She walks over to me and takes a seat on the bed. I pull her in close, turning serious. Nothing will ever be the same between us, but I guess that happens when you die, go to purgatory, and come back to life with someone.

"We made it," she whispers.

"Yeah we did."

Bonnie shifts a little, leaning in closer to brush a stray hair from my eyes. "I wanted to thank you, Damon." Bonnie bites her lip as her eyes gleam with unshed tears. "I like to think I'm strong and self-sufficient, but I'm really glad you were there. Death is never fun, but…"

"I know. Me too."


	10. Chapter 10

Elena's POV

I come back into Damon's room as Stefan is leaving. Although I was reluctant to leave Damon, I knew the brothers needed some time to chat.

"They're calling you guys the Angels of Death," I laugh, showing Damon some of the media coverage that he and Bonnie have gained on my phone. "The news is saying that production companies are fighting for the rights to your story. You guys even have your own fan page."

Damon smiles gently, but doesn't say anything; not even a sarcastic whip or witty comment.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Nothing." Damon tries to shrug off whatever is bothering him, but we are too similar. He can't hide from me. I take a seat next to him on the bed as he shrugs on his clothes.

"Where is my damn wallet?" Damon asks, checking all of the pockets of his jeans.

"They probably took it when trying to identify you and Bonnie," I answer, not distracted by his attempt to get me off topic.

"Hey," I say, taking Damon's head in my hands when he doesn't stop wiggling. "Look at me. Tell me what's bothering you."

It's either his sudden desire to be open and forthcoming with me or my vampire strength holding him in place, but he eventually gives in.

"I'm a human now, obviously," Damon rolls his eyes as if being human is completely beneath him, but his expression turns somber and troubled on a dime. "And maybe it is because I'm human, but I can't help this feeling that this tornado is my fault."

Damon shrugs, "And what is even weirder is that I give a damn."

"Damon, this isn't your fault." I rub his back, speaking the words he needs to hear.

"You don't know that. All I remember is Bonnie and me wandering around this self-creating wonderland and then the light. That's it."

"We'll figure all of this out, one step at a time. Bonnie has already been discharged. She and Caroline took a cab to the hotel a couple hours ago and Stefan said he was headed that way after he talked with you." I take his hand and pull him to his feet. "I think it is time you and I take this somewhere else."

"Was that a sexual innuendo I sensed?" Damon wiggles his eyebrows and smirks his typical smirk.

"Trust me," I say, pulling him down the hallway of the hospital, "there is nobody as horny as me right now and as much as I'd like to jump your bones in the middle of this hospital, we have other issues at hand."

"Like me being human because that can be solved with just the snap of my neck," Damon shrugs death off like it is no big deal as we climb into the elevator. "How is your libido? Because mine is raging." Damon pushes me up against the wall inside the elevator. My breathing hitches and I reluctantly push him back.

"Not now," I say as the doors to the elevator open on the first floor, "we've got to deal with reporters." With that, we are swamped by people wanting the first look at one of the 'Angels of Death.' Pushing through them is easy enough with my strength, but I couldn't shield either of us from the constant plague of questioning: Why were you in Gainesville when the tornado hit? _Who is your companion? Do you have survivor's guilt? Where is Ms. Bennett? Why did you two leave separately? Are you two a couple?_

"Humanity is ridiculous. A tornado just struck and they focus on the story of us two?" Damon rolls his eyes in frustration.

"I think you two give people hope and with a survival story as miraculous as yours," I shrug, trying to help rid Damon of the guilt he is feeling, "people can't help but be intrigued."

"I've got something that will distract you," I smile, pulling the car keys out of my pocket as we reach the Camaro in the parking garage. A boyish grin spreads across Damon's face and I know I've distracted him temporarily. "Shall we go?" And we certainly do. Going twice the speed limit, Damon races down the highway, still beaming that beautiful smile and then he grabs my hand. Even that simple gesture sends electricity racing through my veins and Damon's sharp intake of breath tells me that it had the same effect on him.

"We almost there?" Damon says what I am thinking.

"In one more block, it'll be on the left."

He nearly throws his keys at the valet as he drags me inside the hotel to book a room.

"We'll meet up with the rest of our party later," Damon says in between kisses on the elevator ride up, which seems irritably slow. The doors open on our floor and I reluctantly pull away from Damon as another couple passes us in the hallway, no doubt seeing the feral need for one another in our eyes. And we can't hit the bed fast enough. Clothes and buttons go flying in all different directions as we unleash the energy that has been pent up inside after months of grief and separation. The hospital event was child's play and so quickly interrupted by the nurse, but now it is just me and him and a love so toxic that it has nearly destroyed us on more than one occasion.

I straddle him on the bed as we appreciate every touch and every kiss shared between us because both of us know what it is like to do without.

"I love," I breathe, trying to catch my breath as we gain intensity.

"I know," he says, only coming up from kissing me to say those two words.

"No, I need to say it." I pin him to the bed, using my strength advantage to keep him still for the three words that I am so desperate to speak. "I. Love. You."

Damon kisses me firmly, but gently on the lips and then presses his forehead to mine. "I love you too." His voice is barely a whisper, but holds as much weight as if the whole world heard. "Now, let me show you just how much I love you."

And he does. We both do.

**Hey, thank you so much for reading and if you've got two seconds, please let me know what you thought! **


	11. Chapter 11

Damon's POV

After months of trekking the unknown, dead nonetheless, I somehow made it back to earth. Somehow I came back to life. How it happened is beyond me, but as the woman I love sleeps peacefully in my arms, I could not care less. She stirs, lazily opening her eyes to meet mine.

"Hi," she whispers as I gently place my lips to hers.

"Hi back." I place another long lingering kiss on her mouth, wanting nothing more than to lay in bed all night and all day, but the living world beckons. And by that I mean the chirp of a cell phone.

"Yeah?" I answer to be greeted by my brother's voice.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" His concern is genuine, although it reminds me of my vulnerable state.

"Good, no, great," I answer quickly, "but in desperate need of a drink and I can tell by the tone of your voice, that you want to talk."

"Meet down at the hotel bar in 5?"

"I'll be there," I say and end the call. "I don't want to leave this bed, let alone your side, but family matters are at stake."

"Go. I'll go hang with the girls," Elena lazily trails a finger along the ridges in my abdomen. "And I'll see you when you get back."

Shrugging into my clothes, I head out the door. Stefan is sitting at the bar with an empty glass of Bourbon in front of him.

"I see you started without me," I say, patting my brother on the shoulder. "Did you think I'd outdrink you again?"

"Not exactly," Stefan smiles, "you humans have low alcohol tolerances." I immediately frown at the reminder, but Stefan just gestures to the seat next to him. The bartender comes back with a glass of liquor and a plate with a burger and fries on it.

"I probably shouldn't eat this. It'll spike my cholesterol." Stefan rolls his eyes in his typical Stefan-like fashion and I take a bite of the burger, only then realizing how hungry I am.

"Is it safe to assume that you are going to turn back?"

"Duh," I say just barely swallowing my bite of burger, "I wouldn't let my brother surpass me in good looks."

"Seriously, Damon," Stefan says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "How do you know it will work though? I mean, you did just come back from the dead. How do we know that you won't just die permanently?"

"Dying now would not be much different than dying in 60 years when you compare it with the life of a vampire," I shrug. "As crazy as it sounds, I just have this weird feeling that it will work."

"Well, I'm glad you finally get to make the choice for yourself." Stefan looks down into his glass.

"Oh, Stefan," I say, waiting until he glances my way. "I'm so glad that I have the opportunity to be around your usual mopey brooding self again."

That makes him smile, which in return, makes me smile.

"So whose vein should I tap?" I ask jokingly.

"I'd offer up mine, but I don't really want you being my lapdog if you accidently get sired."

"Oh. I forgot about that."

"Elena is probably with Caroline and Bonnie. They are in room 408, if you were wondering."

"Thanks," I say, quickly downing the rest of my drink. "And I guess I'll catch you on the undead side."

"You can't help but turn everything into a joke, can you?" Stefan rolls his eyes, but I notice a small smile creep onto his face. On the elevator up to the fourth floor, I become increasingly nervous; side effects of being human.

Caroline opens the door, but I see Bonnie and Elena on the bed behind her.

"Damon," Elena says, meeting me halfway to pull me in for a hug just a little too tight. "We were just talking about you."

"I was telling them a little bit about our trip in purgatory," Bonnie chimes in with a genuine smile on her face, "all good things."

"Yeah, I tried to stay on my best behavior there." The girls simultaneously giggle, but Elena notices the furrowing of my brow and the slight tremble of my hand.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she says, a little quieter.

"I want to turn back." It takes her a second to process those few words, but surprisingly she doesn't freak out.

"You can drink from me," she says, nodding her head. "I won't kill you though."

"I will," Caroline pops up in the background with the perkiest smile on her face.

"If that isn't the personality of a serial killer, then I don't know what is," I say jokingly.

"You can feed off of me to complete the transition," Bonnie says from behind her.

"Awesome. It'll be a group effort." We all laugh at the irony of the situation. People don't usually choose to turn into a vampire, but most people also don't come back from the dead or have a vampire girlfriend either. The room gets really quiet as Elena and I take a seat on one of the beds. She bites her wrist and gently lifts it to my lips.

"Bottoms up," she whispers and then I drink. It tastes sour and bitter and hot, but the more I drink, the less repulsive it tastes although it is still nowhere near how I used to remember it. Pulling away, I wipe the blood from my lips on the back of my hand. Elena places a gentle kiss on my lips and then grabs my hand. And in my peripheral vision, I see a blur of blonde hair coming towards me, feel a sharp pain and then nothing.

**Thanks for reading! **


	12. Chapter 12

Elena's POV

The sun leaves a trail of pinks and purples and oranges across the sky as it sets over the Pacific. My head rests on Damon's chest while I lazily trail my fingers over his abdomen. A bottle of the resort's best Cabernet Sauvignon chills in ice while we let our toes commingle at the end of the lounger. We've indulged in some of the best foods the island has to offer and drank more expensive liquor than I'd care to admit, but it has been romantic. Damon had slipped a couple of plane tickets across the breakfast table a few days after he transitioned and the next day we flew out of Atlanta. He promised two weeks of pure romance and certainly delivered with partner yoga, massages, and dancing.

"Where do we go from here?" I murmur against Damon's chest.

"Well," Damon starts, "once we finish this bottle of wine, I plan on taking you in the ocean and then again in that massive bathtub in our room." I shove him playfully, but can't help but smile, knowing that is exactly what is going to happen tonight.

"You know what I mean."

"I don't know," Damon sighs, "we could try and get our home back. Mystic Falls has been vampire-free for too long."

When I don't respond, Damon tips my chin up so we are looking at each other.

"What's on your mind?" His voice is as gentle as the waves lapping on the beach. When I just shake my head, trying to rid myself of the feeling, Damon rubs his hand up and down my arm and then kisses the crown of my head. "You can tell me, Elena."

"I'm scared." My words are vague and barely a whisper, but I know that they don't need any more explanation. I am simply scared. Scared of losing him again. Scared of more unwarranted death. Scared of disappointment and wasting precious time on a quest where the outcome is a failure. And for the first time in a long time, I feel safe and secure and rested.

"How about we get married instead?" Those six words cause me to nearly spit out my wine.

"I don't know what to say."

"I didn't mean to spring that on you," Damon cracks his knuckles and shifts his gaze. And then I realize that he is nervous. "Or maybe I did, I don't know. I actually had a plan for all of this." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring box, making the question he just asked all the more real.

"Oh my god," I say covering my mouth with my hands.

"Let me start over," Damon says, shifting a little more to face me, "I love you and I'm pretty sure you love me." He takes my hand in his and then gazes directly into my eyes. "I shouldn't have been given a second chance, but I was and it is far time I start doing things right. And I believe with all of my heart that that begins with marrying you. I want to make you happy and be everything that you deserve."

He opens the ring box, still looking me in the eye. "Will you marry me?"

"Yeah," I breathe, "I think I will." The tension held up in Damon's shoulders is released with my answer. Huge smiles spread across both of our faces and I giggle like a school girl when Damon slides the ring onto my finger. The band is white gold with diamonds embedded all around it. The center holds a princess cut black diamond with rubies on either side. It is absolutely breathtaking and a perfect embodiment of us.

"I'm going to kiss you now," Damon says, taking my head in his hands. He claims my mouth with his and works his tongue between my lips, letting the fire that burns between us take over. I grab handfuls of his hair and move to straddle his waist. When Damon's phone buzzes on the table beside us, I nearly throw it into the ocean, but opt to end the call instead. When it continues buzzing, we both simultaneously groan as Damon takes the call.

"What?" The irritation is evident in Damon's voice.

I take a sip of my wine and admire my ring while he talks on the phone. Three years ago, I never in a million years would have thought that Damon's engagement ring would be on my finger, yet here it is; glimmering in the setting sun.

"Ok. We'll be there." Damon hangs up the phone and is eerily quiet. I don't say anything, trying to prolong the moment where nothing is wrong and everything is peaceful, but whatever is weighing on him is my burden too.

"What's wrong?"

Damon grabs my hand, gently running his thumb over my knuckles. "It's Bonnie. Somebody has taken her."

Just like that, I feel the blissful glow of our engagement be drowned by another tragedy. "Who? When? Why?" The questions come tumbling out as tears sting my eyes. "This can't be happening."

"Stefan doesn't know, but we'll head back and find her. I swear to you, we will bring her back safely."

Damon pulls me into him and kisses the top of my head and I know that he is trying to be strong for me, but I know that he needs support too. I know that Damon loves me more than anything, but whatever happened in purgatory created a bond between him and Bonnie that God himself can't break.

"I'm going to go book some tickets back to the states. Could you start packing?" I nod my head and head back inside. Trying to push my feelings aside, I begin to shove clothing into suitcases, but am momentarily distracted by the piece of jewelry adorning my finger. With a deep breath, I pull it off and tuck it back inside the box to be packed away with the rest of my accessories. This is no time for an engagement.

**I know this chapter was kind of out there, but for the story's sake, I deemed it necessary. Thanks for reading, following, and reviewing. Your feedback means a lot to me! **


	13. Chapter 13

Damon's POV

How is it, that when everything just begins to go so right, something bad happens? Are we undeserving of even a fleeting moment of happiness? Is that why when we start to settle into something good, an evil rips away that happiness?

These questions plague my mind as I stare out the window of the plane, Elena's head on my shoulder and her left hand in mine. I trail my thumb over her ring finger where my engagement ring no longer rests. She stumbled through an explanation why she took it off earlier, but I completely understood. I just wish we could have shared this time together in peace. Instead, somebody has taken the little ex-witch, which leads to the endless cycle of why's and who's and where's.

The seatbelt sign lights up above us as the flight attendant goes into her spiel about the time and temperature of our impending arrival.

I gently kiss Elena's messy head of hair. "Time to wake up, baby." She grumbles something that I can't quite comprehend before tipping her head back to meet my lips with hers. When I pull away, a sad smile rests upon her lips and her eyes glimmer with unshed tears.

"You know that I will do everything in my power to bring her back, don't you?"

"I know."

"And so will Stefan and Jeremy and Caroline and we all know that you will too," I kiss the top of her head once more, "we're like the Fantastic Five or how about the Justice League of Mystic Falls."

Elena giggles at my attempts to cheer her up.

"Hell, we're probably right up there with the Avengers." Elena elbows me in the abdomen playfully.

When we get off the plane, Stefan and Caroline are already waiting for us at baggage claim. Caroline embraces Elena quietly before we all head back to the lake house.

"We assume the people who took her want something, so if that theory is correct, then we'll be hearing from them soon." Stefan's grip on the wheel is tight. I guess we are all a little bit on edge.

"So we don't know what they want with her?" Elena asks.

"No. Bonnie went out to pick up some stuff for school and when 9 o'clock rolled around and she wasn't back, we went to investigate. The car was abandoned in the store parking lot and there were a few drops of blood spattered on the pavement."

"Oh my God," I breathe.

"We think she is still alive because it wasn't very much, but she may be injured. I think we should contact the witches we met in Norfolk and see if they can do a tracking spell on her." Caroline speaks up, with a slight waver in her voice.

I nod my head, trying to reassure myself that that will be enough, but I also know that if her captors have a witch, then she could easily be hidden from a tracking spell with another spell.

"Uh, guys," Stefan says as we near the lake house. His gaze is locked on the front door, which I now notice to be standing wide open. Jumping out of the car, I nearly make a mad dash through it, but am stopped by Elena's firm grasp.

"We don't know who is in there, Damon," she cautions, "and you are a new vampire again."

"They know we are home by now, so it doesn't really matter how we approach this. The outcome will be the same."

"Quit your bantering!" a female voice bellows from the house. A tall young woman with dark red hair stands in the doorway to the cabin. "I want to talk and don't even think about ripping my head off because if I don't return in precisely three hours, they'll kill Bonnie."

"What do you want with her?" Stefan calls out.

"Come inside and we'll talk over tea and crumpets." A smirk slides onto her face, "or I suppose you'll be dining on flesh and blood, right?"

Nobody laughs. We all just stand there quietly taking in our visitor.

"Wow. Tough crowd. Well, take all the time you need because like I said, she's got three hours." The woman turns to go back inside while we all look at each other with looks of befuddlement. Elena is the first to move and then the rest of us follow close behind.

"Why did you take Bonnie?" I say, the anger very evident in my tone of voice.

"Why are you and her alive?" she retorts, with a fire in her eyes that speaks of grief and sorrow.

"I don't know. We were dead, then we went to purgatory and came back to life. That's all I got for you."

"Why did you take her?" Elena asks loudly. The woman ignores her for a few seconds before she starts to talk.

"Well, several weeks ago, we felt Damon and Bonnie's presence in our magic."

"So you all are witches," Caroline chimes in.

"Half."

"Excuse me?"

"Half of us are witches. The other half _were _witches," the woman's face hardens even more as she looks directly at me, "they died in the tornado that brought you back." I feel my mouth open in shock, but I quickly regain my composure for Bonnie's sake.

"I'm sorry for your loss, but we didn't make any deals to come back to life. It just happened. And if you want to punish somebody, punish me. Let Bonnie come home!" I plead. My desperation must be evident because the woman smirks a little bit.

"You bring my family back to life and we give you Bonnie back."

"That's impossible," Stefan stammers.

"Obviously it's not or else we wouldn't be in this mess, now would we?"

"Let's say, hypothetically, that we could help you out. How many witches are we talking?" I ask.

"Twelve." I run both hands through my hair in exasperation. "I suggest you don't do anything stupid because the twelve of us that are alive are pretty strong and have friends in all kinds of places."

The woman stands up and pulls out a notecard. "I'll be checking in on you, but if you find anything early, be sure to report." Right as she steps over the threshold of the door, she does a spell that is vaguely familiar.

"This will keep you locked in here for a couple hours. I can't have any of you following me." With that she leaves us with the taste of another unwanted task on our hands.

**Thanks for reading!**


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